Presser foot for sewing machines



w. a. LONG PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Dec. 14, 1925 7 V m] 99 3 9 E g Z /60 9,

. I I Q ]6 v g] m J6?! Patented Apr. 19 1927.

uirs stares PATENT orrics.

'W'ILLIAM B. LONG, OF CHIGAGQ, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'I'O UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINQIS, A CORPOEATIQN OF ILLINOIS;

PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Application filed December The invention relates to new and useful improvements in presser feet for sewing machines, and more particularly to one of the roller foot type.

An object of theinvention is to provide supporting devices for a roller presser foot which is so constructed as to permit the roller to be adjusted or shifted bodily in a direction at right angles to the line of feed.

Another object of the invention is to provide supporting devices which are so constructed as to permit the roller foot to be set so as to rotate in a plane along the work support at an acute angle, and wherein said roller foot is capable of adjustment toward. and from the work support in the plane of the rotating foot. I

A further object of the invention is to provide supporting devices of the above character which are so constructed that the angle of the roller member to the work support may be adjusted andthe foot bodily shifted laterally toward and from the needle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mounting for the roller foot which takes up both the radial and the end thrust on the bearing support for the roller foot.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention-- Figure 1 is a front view showing a portion of a sewing machine having my improvement applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a plan view;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View through the bearing support for the roller foot;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 1,;

The invention is directed broadly to a roller presser foot for sewing machines wherein the roller foot is i'nounted on a sup-- porting member so that said foot is capable 14, 1923. Serial No. 680,670.

of rotating in a plane at an angle to the -work support. The foot is so arranged in the machine as to bear on the material adjacent the needle. The support for the roller foot includes a member which is capa-ble of being adjusted bodily in a direction at right angles to the line of feed so that said roller foot may be moved away from or nearer the needle, as desired. also mounted so that it may be adjusted to ward and from the work support in its plane of rotation which is at an angle to the work support. Furthermore the foot is so mounted that it may be swung toward and from the needle, and may be set in different angular positions relative to the needle and work support.

Referring more in detail to the drawings,

my improved roller presser foot consists of a wheel or rotatable member 1 which has its peripheral surface inclined to its plane of rotation. In other words, the peripheral surface of the foot is shaped asthe frustrum of acone. foot 1 is provided with a reduced shank portion 2 which extends through an opening in the supporting member 3. This supporting member 3 has an inclined or cone face 4 and a cylindrical face 5 which forms a ball race for a series of balls 6. The-shank portion has a shoulder 7 which forms the other face of the race for the balls. At the other side of. the supporting member 8 there is another cone face 8 which together with the shank 2 and a headed member 9 form a ball race for a series of balls 10. This headed member 9 is threaded and the shank member 2 has an internal recess which is likewise threaded to receive the headed member, so that the headed member may be threaded into the shank and thus hold the parts in as sembled position.

A set screw 11 located centrally of the roller foot is likewise threaded into the central opening through the foot, and is adapted to screw up against the end of the headed Asshown in Fig. at, this roller Said foot is member 9, and thus lock the headed member v Cit gated cylindrical inemher and is adaptrd to he inserted in a similarly shaped recess in an arm 12 and is held in adjusted position in said recess by means of a set. screw it This arm 15! is pivoted to a liracliet it h v means of a. pivot pin 151. The l'iraeltet is slotted so that the arm which is mounted in the slot ran swing: in said slot. and with the swnny ing of the arm, the roller toot can he moved toward and from the needle.

'llhreaded into the arm 1:2 is :1 stop screw to. The arm t2 swinging: on the pivot tf'i will he limited h the :l: QttllJlt stop and an he held in set position h means of a clamping screw 17. The hraehet ll has a right-angled section to provided w't 1 a slot 1 i 19. This right-angled setion ot' the irarhrt hracltet is adapted to he senured to a second 20 (see Fig. 3). A. halt E21 passing tl1ro1-.;Il1 the slot 19 serves to hold the ln'arhet l-i; in adjusted positions on the hracltet 2t). t aid l1 achet 20 is provided with suitahlc guiding rihs so as to aid in holding the llttlt l(tl let and ])!0\'Qt1ti11 1 the same trotn turning}; on its bolt. The l)2l(ltt itt is in turn sccured to the main l11:ttfl(tl' Q in means oi a (damping holt 29 iere again there is a rilihed ('onstruction between the hrachet Lttl and the main supporting hrznxlte 2:3 which prevents one t'roni turning on the other. The main supporting: liraelzet has a sleeve 2' 1: through which the main p er liar ot' the machine passes. and flaniping s 'i'cn Q?) will secure this sleeve to the prcsscr lia The needle is indi *ated at 26 and the plane of the work support is indicated at Q7. The direction of teed is indicated hr the arrow 98 in Fig. 3.

From the ahove it will he apparent that the l'iearing surface of the roller tent is l 1- rated so as to rotate in a plane inclined to the work sup i ort and also the path ol' reeiprriieation ot the needle. The surface ot the roller toot whieh lllttliPS eontact with the work support or the material. on the work support. is parallel with the wora snp iort at its point ol. contact. 13?. 'io' an reason it is desired to throw the pressure of toe toot more hearil upon the edge thereot adjarent the needle. the angular position oi' the supporting member for the oller tool can he shifted, or this supporting 111en1hcr can he shitted so as to insure that the tool: will engage the 'tahrie with eren pressure Clear aeross its periphery. This is arconv plished or means (it the stop screw 16 which limits the movement of the pivoted arni. It will readily he seen that by adjusting th s stop screw, the angular set position of the arm 12 can he varied, and through the aid of the clamping holt 1.7.saidarn'1can he el amped in an desired set position. l3) releasing tinelalnping' holt t3. the supporting memher t3 may be adjusted in its recess in the arm 1;,

and this provides an adjustment of the retatinp; Foot in :1- direction parallel with its plane oi rotation. and facilitates the setting thereof so that it will he properly positioned relative to the needle and the stitel1i1urpoi11t. By loosening); the elainping holt 21, the bracket 14. can he adjusted in a direction toward and 't'roin the plane oi the needle. and thus it is that the roller l'oot may he shitted hodily in a direction at right angles to the foot and toward and :t'roin the plane of re ciprocat ion ot the needle. l ly loosening; the holt i i-l. the hraeket 20 can he adjusted in a. direetion parallel with the line oi feed. and thus it. is that the roller tool; may he shifted forwardly or rearwardly relative to the needle so as to properly position the pressure point (it the foot on the material relative to the stitching point.

han the roller toot: is set as shown in the drawings and as described aliove, there is a. lateral or side pressure on the roller foot and there is also a adial pressure on the toot, as the supportiiur liracltets for the loot are mounted on the presser liar which is vieldinal r pro scd toward the \'1()1"l{ support. and thus it is that the roller toot, is yieldingl pressed toward the work support. Both the lateral thrust and the radial thrust; on the roller toot comes on the halls running in the raceways. and by adjusting the headed inemher t. 2 ll side play and initial play can he taken up. and this provides an extremely free running; roller which, (it course, is very necessary in a sewing machine. The set. screw ll. serves as a means for (:laiupirur the headed incmher ll so that it :annot work loose.

it is olivious that minor changes in the letails o't' construction and the arrangre111ont: it the parts may he made without departiiur 1 in the spirit. ot the llht'lllitlll as set torth in t 1 he zppendral claims.

i .1 vingr thus deserihed the invention. what i wlaini as new and (lt.--ll'( to secure l'i laulcrs latent, il

i. l'he coinliiinitiou of a needle. a roller prcsser toot. a supportin r means tor the radar prcsser toot including" :1 presser liar. a hraeltet carried therein. and hodilv adjust.- alile in a direction parallel with the diree tion ot' Feed. second l1 'aclcet :arried by said first-named liraeltct'. and adjustable in a direction at. right angles to the dirertion of feed. said second hraeliet having, :1- depending: portion. an arm pivoted to said depending; portion and carrying said roller prcsser foot. and means 't'or hitting said arin about this pivot and clamping said arm in adjusted positions.

52. 'ihe conihination ot a press er toot. a supporting ineans' tor the roller preaser toot including a presser liar. a ltzlth' t earried thereh and liodilv adjust;- il. 1 a direction paallel with the direct'enl. a serond h 'aeket armed by said needle, a roller 2 1 tion of first-named bracket and adjustable in a direction at right angles'to the direction of feed, said second bracket having a depending portion, said depending portion having a recess formed therein, an arm pivoted in said recess and adapted to swing in a plane at right angles to the c irection of feed, a roller presser foot carried by said arm, an adjustable stop carried by the arm and adapted to engage said depending portion for limiting the swinging movement of said arm, and means for clam iiing said arm in adjusted positions 3. The combination of a needle, a roller presser foot having a conical fabric engaging surface, a pivoted arm supporting said roller presser footand permitting said roller presser foot to swing in a direction toward and away from the needle, an adjustable stop for limiting the movement of the presser foot toward the needle, and clamping means for clamping the presser foot in any set position determined by the stop.

4. The combination of a roller presscr foot adapted to engage the material at one side of the needle and having a conical fabric engaging surface, a member on which said roller foot is pivotally supported, supporting means including an arm having a recess to receive said member carrying the roller foot, means for clamping said member in adjusted positions in said recess, a bracket to which said arm is pivoted, a stop for limiting the swinging movement of the arm, clan'lping means for clamping the arm in said adjusted positions, a second bracket to which said first-named bracket is adjust-ably connected so that said bracket carrying the arm can be shifted in a direction at right angles to the line of feed.

The combination of a roller presser foot adapted to engage the material at one side of the needle and having a conical fabric en gaging surface, a member on which said roller foot is pivotally supported, supporting means including an arm having a recess to receive said member carrying the roller foot, means for clamping said member in adjusted positions in said recess. a bracket to which said arm is pivoted, a stop for limiting the swinging movement of the arm, clamping means for clamping the arm in said adjusted positions. a second bracket towhich said first-named bracket is adjust-ably connected so that said bracket carrying the arm can be shift-ed in a directi m at right angles to the line of feed. a main bracket to which said second bracket is adjustably connected so that the second bracket can be adjusted in a direction parallel with the line of l.

6. The combination of a roller resser foot. means for supporting said roller presser foot including an arm having a recess t-herethrough forming come-shaped spaced walls, said roller presser foot having a reduced shank extending through said recess, and a shoulder forming with one of said cone-shaped walls a raceway, balls in said raceway, a headed member adapted to be adjustably secured to the shank of the roller presser foot whereby said head forms with the other cone-shaped wall a raceway, and balls in said raceway.

7. The combination of a roller presser foot, means for supporting said roller presser foot including an arm having a recess t-herethrongh forming cone-shaped spaced walls, said roller presser foot having a reduced shank extending through said recess, and a shoulder forming with one of said cone-shaped walls a raceway, balls in said raceway, a headed member adapted to be adjustably secured to the shank of the roller presser foot whereby said head forms with the other cone-shaped wall a raceway, balls in said raceway, said headed member having a threaded connection with the shank of the roller foot, and means for locking said headed threaded member in adjusted positions.

S. The combination of a roller presser foot having a reduced shank concentric to the center of the roller presser foot. supporting means for said roller presser foot including an arm having a recess formed therethrough to receive the shank of the roller foot, said roller foot having a central recess. a headed member threaded in said central recess for securing the roller foot to its support, and ball bearings between the shank of the roller foot and the supporting member therefor said supporting means having'tapered walls engaged by said ball bearings whereby the adjustment of the headed member into the shank will take up both the lateral and the radial thrusts on the roller foot.

9. The combination of a roller presser foot, supporting means therefor including an arm having a recess therethrough, said arm having cone-shaped walls at each side thereof extending to said recess. said roller foot having a reduced shank adapted to extend through said recess, said shank being threaded, a headed member adapted to be threaded into said shank so that the head on said member forms with the cone-shaped wall ad jacent thereto, a ball race, said reduced shank also forming a vertical wall which cooperates with the other cone-shaped wall to form a ball race, and balls located in said raceways.

10. The combination of a roller presser foot, supporting means therefor including an arm having a recess therethrough, said arm having cone-shaped walls at each side thereof extending to said recess, said roller foot having a reduced shank adapted to extend through said recess, said shank being threaded. a headed member adapted to be threaded into said shank so that the head on said member forms with the cone-shaped wall adjacent thereto, a. ball race. said reduced shank also forming a vert"n1 Wall \vhieh cooperates with the other cone-shaped wail to :Eomn a ball race, balls located in said l'aeeways, and a Threaded locking screw 10- ceiied axially of said roller foot and adapted to bear against he inner end of said headed meodner for locking the SHIRE in adjusted positions. 10

In testimony whereof, I aflix my sigrmture.

\VILIJIAM B. LONG. 

